The
pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during November
2006 featured warmer-than-average temperatures across the central and
eastern Pacific (Fig. T18).Accordingly, the SST anomalies in the Niņo 4, Niņo 3.4 and
Niņo 1+2 regions remained
positive (latest values of 1.3, 1.2 and 1.0, respectively)(Table
T2). Meanwhile, the Tahiti  Darwin SOI is
near zero (latest value: 0.1) for the first time since February 2006 (Table T1, Figs. T1).

The
oceanic thermocline, measured by the depth of the 20ēC isotherm along the
equator, featured above average depth across the central and eastern Pacific
during November (Figs. T15, T16).Consistent with these conditions, oceanic temperatures at thermocline
depth were 2-3ēC above average throughout most of the equatorial Pacific (Fig. T17).

During
November 2006, low-level westerly (easterly) anomalies (more than 3.0 m s-1)
were observed over the eastern equatorial Pacific (eastern Indian Ocean) (Fig.
T20).Suppressed
convection (below-average rainfall amounts) was observed across the eastern Indian
Ocean and Indonesia, while
enhanced convection (above-average rainfall amounts) was seen over the
western Indian
Ocean as well
as the equatorial Pacific, west of the Date Line (Figs.
T25and
E3).